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The Dwarves

Born Again

Review by Gary Hill

This is first album from the Dwarves since 2004, and it’s a great disc. These guys show how punk rock should sound. It never gets old or trite because this band has a lot of tricks up their collective sleeve. Understanding that this is the Dwarves and looking at the cover, you should realize quickly that the lyrics here are not suitable for children. So, parents should be advised. All in all this is a killer album that’s fun to spin. And, you even get a bonus DVD of vintage live clips interviews and all kinds of goodies. The Dwarves are back with a vengeance.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2011  Volume 4 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
The Dwarves Are Still The Best Band Ever

A goofy little section opens this, then it pounds out to some smoking hot punk rock. The lyrics definitely earn a parental advisory, but really, can you look at the cover to this CD and not grasp that fact?

15 Minutes
There’s a cool start and stop element to this raw punk rocker. It’s a short tune. Do I need to mention the parental advisory?
Stop Me
Here’s a punk number that borders on hardcore. It’s a real screamer with some seriously raunchy lyrics.
Looking Out For Number One
Acoustic guitar starts this off and the vocals come in over the top of that. About twenty seconds in, though, it shifts out to a killer retro rock meets punk approach. This reminds me a bit of the Ramones.
You'll Never Take Us Alive
Another frantic punker, this one is a real screamer. It reminds me a bit of The Dead Boys.  There’s a jam mid-track, though, that’s more like the Dead Kennedys. There’s a funny answering machine message at the end of this.
Bang Up
The Cramps seem to be a reference on this fiery number. The chorus here has a lot of retro 60s rock built into it.
We Only Came To Get High
The vocals on this are definitely hardcore and the song has that kind of energy, too. In fact, this one almost crosses into the territory of extreme metal.
M*st**bate Me
This feels even more metal. The vocals are spoken at the start. They speed the chugging rhythm of this number up as it continues. This is another screamer.
It's A Wonderful Life Of Sin
Here’s some more frantic raw punk rock. There’s a cool slower groove in the middle of this. The lyrics are amongst the most extreme of the set. An answering machine message ends this.
Happy Birthday Suicide
Despite the title, the music to this is sort of a fun, light-hearted punk rock jam with a retro sounding chorus.
Fake ID
Almost more straight rock and roll, this is a catchy and very tasty punk rocker. I like it a lot.
Working Class Hole
An accessible punk rock tune, this is the kind of sound that emo would be, if emo were actually punk. In other words, Green Day, et al, pay attention. This is the sound you should be aiming for, if you weren’t so caught up in whiny emo. This is punk rock!
Futyd
Hard edged and frantic, this one almost qualifies as heavy metal. It’s a killer tune.
Candy Now
This is killer retro tinged punk rock.
Do The He Who Cannot Be Named
The Ramones meet The Lords of New Church on this tune.
Your Girl's Mom
Here we get raw but tasty punk.
Zip Zero
This is a straight ahead punker that’s quite cool.
The Band That Wouldn't Die
They close things with a screaming, noisy punk rocker.
 
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